A landmark Grade II listed building could be transformed after a planning application was submitted to Sefton Council.
Loungers UK Limited has submitted an application to convert the ground, first and second floors of the Waterstones bookshop in Southport into a restaurant. The developer is seeking approval to ‘"fit out" the premises to provide for a bar, kitchen, and toilet area including extraction and ventilation through a £1m investment.
It is hoped the investment will help create 30 new jobs for the area. The premises comprise a five-storey building although this planning application only comprises the ground, first and second floors. It is understood Waterstones will relocate to a new building in the town.
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The application said: "Leases are for 15 years, so they invest very wisely and in high-quality goods for every one of their sites; they are designed to last. Lounge’s history extends back to 2002, they have only closed six sites in total, the majority of which were legacy sites that were just too small for current offer and customer demand.
"Based on current proposals, the conversion of this property will represent an investment cost of approximately £1million. Thus, not only do Lounges create jobs for their own business, they can assist in creating an employment draw for a much wider area, across both retail and hospitality."
“The aim of every Lounge is to tie in with local customers so that they can make of the Lounge what they will; whether a customer wants to come in for a coffee after dropping children to school, a working lunch, or a tipple after work, Lounges can provide an environment for all these purposes.
“As well as these everyday activities, each site will be tied in with local charities and initiatives. For example, during the pandemic, a number of Lounge sites opened up to make food packages for local shelters and schools.
The landmark building on the corner of Lord Street and Nevill Street was formerly a bank. It was built between 1925-7 and was designed by Palmer & Holden.
The planning application added: "The site lies within the Lord Street Conservation Area and is a Grade II listed building and therefore alongside full planning permission requires Listed Building Consent (LBC). The internal fit-out is to enable the building to be used for a Lounge bar.
"All of the fit-out is removable and would not affect the heritage character of the building. Signage would be subject to a separate application. The proposals will also not adversely impact on the character and appearance of the Lord Street Conservation Area.”
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